Compare towns
Bow vs Mapleton vs Pembroke vs Stratham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Pembroke has the most renters (32.6% rent).
Stratham has the most expensive homes ($655k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Bow | Mapleton | Pembroke | Stratham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
1,884Lowest |
7,438 |
7,754 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
41.8±6 7% above U.S. |
41.9±3.3Highest 8% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9 7% above U.S. |
| Pembroke and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stratham and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$91,731±$25k 14% above U.S. |
$89,519±$22kLowest 11% above U.S. |
$151,998±$20k 88% above U.S. |
| Bow and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$371,500±$20k 12% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,218±$354 14% below U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$7,589 143% above U.S. |
$9,781Highest 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±21.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
15%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stratham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #26 of 120 in NH | — | #85 of 120 in NH | #43 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Pembroke School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Pembroke Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
— | 13.1Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.